Trust Me Darling
by sophieandemma
Summary: Before Milah, before Rumpelstilskin, there was Wendy Darling, an adventurous young woman who never wanted to grow up. Being placed on a ship with Captain Killian Jones and her fiancé, Peter, was not one of her parents' wisest choices. Wendy/Hook
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Welcome! Just so you all know, us co-writers (Sophie and Emma) are sincerely hoping that many new characters are going to appear on the show in future episodes. Aren't we all? As Wendy could be one of them, we hope you enjoy our views on what would have happened in her back story. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: None of us own Once Upon a Time. Unfortunately.**

Wendy sighed, flipping pages of the latest adventure book she could get her delicate hands on. This was yet another story about the epic battles pirates endured, a topic she was obsessed with.

Setting down the book, she rolled over her fluffy mattress and stared up at the mahogany canopy. She wondered why she felt like she was forgetting something; something important. Of course, she figured many people who were traveling often related.

Feeling the ship roll slightly back and forth, bobbing with every wave, Wendy wondered why her parents would never take an airplane. Ever since she was a small child, they had always brought her towards the water, vacationing only by beaches, lakes or rivers. They claimed they "can never be up too high; there's a thing called air sickness." Wendy adored ships and the sea, she honestly did...there was just something about it that made her uneasy.

Only a few more hours before they reached her new country, Ireland. It could be worse, Wendy thought, we could be moving to Australia and then we'd really feel out of place. Ireland was much closer to England, and it was the best choice she had. Not only was her entire family moving to the island, but her fiancé, Peter, decided to come along.

Wendy blew a stray strand of wavy, dark blond hair from her face.

"Wendy?"

Wendy forgot she was lying in a bunk bed and jerked up. She yelped as she hit her head on the springy box mattress above her. "Ow! I mean-um-hello, Peter."

Peter smiled childishly, "How was your nap?"

"I was reading! Not napping!"

Peter shook his head, "I know, I know! Only joking."

Wendy grinned. Peter locked eyes with her, and sat down next to her on the bed. Wendy shifted slightly. Peter's clear blue eyes searched her face. "I hope you're happy."

"Happy? Of course I'm happy. I'm getting married to the love of my life-" She playfully poked Peter's forearm, "-in 3 months."

Peter gave her a sad smile. "That's not what I meant. I know you love England-"

"Oh come on, Peter. I don't really care where I am, as long as you're there. If both our parents want us to start our new life in Ireland, I can deal with it." Wendy tried her best to look pleased.

Peter smiled and kissed her forehead, then stood back up. "I have to go back on deck. I think your father wants me to help him get his bags-and you know how long that'll take."

Wendy giggled. "Yeah, go on."

Peter turned and left, leaving Wendy alone again with her thoughts. She stood and fixed her hair in the built-in vanity mirror. She smoothed her ivory three-quarter sleeve top with scallops at the bottom hem and forest green scarf. She brushed some fuzz from the blankets off her skinny jeans. She slipped on her black ballet flats and headed out the doorway to the bathroom.

Wendy walked down the hallways with ease as other passengers swayed and stumbled with each rock. For some reason, she'd never gotten seasick on the ship or had the need to get "sea-legs." It was strange-she felt like she belonged out on sea more than on land. She glanced up to find the captain walking rather quickly down the hall toward her. Her heart fluttered, to her surprise. She wasn't going to lie-the captain was handsome. What drew Wendy in most were his eyes. They were clear, innocent, blue, but they glanced around with an unexplained sadness. Wendy's kindness got the best of her; she wanted to help.

"Miss Darling! I wanted to tell you we'll be at port in about two hours, but you weren't in your room," the captain explained, slightly out of breath.

"Sorry, I'm just on my way to the loo."

"Oh, oh. I'm sorry. I just thought you might want to know," the captain did look genuinely embarrassed, and Wendy couldn't help but notice how cute he looked when his cheeks flushed.

"Not a problem. Thank you for letting me know."

The captain nodded his head politely and flashed a shy smile at her. Wendy was afraid the butterflies in her stomach were going to make a break for it, but she spun around and started walking down the hall before she could get too excited.

"Um, Miss Darling?"

Wendy twirled around again, "Yes?"

"The women's lavatory is _that _way."

Wendy almost stopped breathing. She blushed a deep scarlet. She felt frustrated with herself-she shouldn't be so unsettled by anyone but Peter. "R-right."

The captain watched her sheepishly as she walked past him. He started heading the opposite direction.

Wendy concentrated on the sound of her own footsteps on the ship floor, but her heart wouldn't slow down. Once she got into the bathroom, a big grin spread over her face. She bit her lip guiltily. Why did she feel this way towards the captain? She loved Peter. Then she thought of the adorable grin of the captain. The way the loneliness left them when he looked at her. She leaned against the wall, smiling at the ground.

Suddenly, a stall door flicked open, making Wendy jump.

"Oh, Wendy!" Wendy's mother peeked out from the stall. Wendy relaxed. "I hope you're smiling about Peter."

It was a joke. She was supposed to smile and maybe giggle like a giddy little girl. So she did. But on the inside, her feelings for Hook were submerged by guilt. She loved Peter more than anything. It had to just be a fluke. Married women had to think other guys were cute, too. But this felt like something more. Like somehow...she knew him. That didn't make sense, though. She'd only just met him a few days ago. And they didn't exactly have a real conversation until now.

Mrs. Darling studied her daughter's face, "Everything alright, sweetie?"

Wendy snapped out of it. She plastered her happiest look on her face. "Of course, mum."

Mrs. Darling smiled and rubbed some soap on her hands. "Good."

Wendy was thankful when Mrs. Darling switched on the faucet and the sound of the water filled the silence. Mrs. Darling wiped her wet hands on the paper towel, and Wendy breathed in a sigh of relief when she left.

Exiting the restroom, Wendy stopped for a moment and stared at the lowering sun. Every thought suddenly became washed away, and there she was, in awe of its beauty. Giant hues of orange and pink were displayed across the sky as if it were a giant canvas. Wendy could faintly smell the distinct saltiness of the sea. These were the moments when the secrets of the universe came washing upon her. She wondered why she was even on the ship; how she even lived this long. The questions were pouring in her mind. She needed to stop.

Wendy dashed to the top of the deck, standing on the edge by the railing, taking deep breaths in and out. She rubbed her temples. _Stop it Wendy, stop it. You're just working yourself up, like you always do. Stop. _She shut her eyes tight, wishing for it all to go away.

Another question. Peter. And...the captain. Why did she feel like she had to choose between them? No, there wasn't a choice. She loved Peter. Sure, the captain was sweet, but that didn't mean she _liked_ him. Right? Ugh, she was so confused.

"A penny for your thoughts?" a voice came out of nowhere, startling Wendy and causing her to slip on a nearby patch of water through the spaces of the railing. She panicked, struggling to grasp onto something-_anything- _when a firm hand grabbed her wrist. Wendy glanced up at the face of the captain, his eyes filled with terror.

"Don't worry, Miss Darling, I've got you!" The captain's voice was filled with assurance but his eyes gave away more than that. He was frightened.

"Please," Wendy whimpered. "Don't let go."

"Never," the captain replied. Wendy swung her other arm up and grabbed the captain's arm. He glanced around, unsure of how to get the girl back on deck. He could try to pull her through the spaces between the wooden bars, but that wasn't looking too promising.

"Miss Darling!" the captain shouted. "What I need you to do is swing your legs on the side of the ship, and grab onto the top railing."

"What?" Wendy cried. "I don't think I can make that reach!"

"Just trust me," the captain said, silently pleading with his eyes. His hand seemed to be slipping.

Wendy's eyes widened, adrenaline pumping through her veins. _Wendy, you can do this._ She told herself, but she didn't really believe it. She swung to the one side, then over to the other. She felt like a human pendulum. _Just one more swing._

She threw her whole weight into the next swing, and somehow she felt her legs on the deck. The captain winced; his arm was bent around the wood pole at a dangerous angle. "Miss, I need you to grab hold of one of the poles! I'm going to let go, and grab your feet!"

_Oh God, not again._ Wendy thought, but she did as she was told. Just as she felt like her legs were about to slip off the side of the ship, she felt two strong hands at her ankles. The captain pulled her up on deck. She lay flat on her back; breathing like she'd just ran ten miles. The captain hovered over her, breathing just as heavily.

The two stood up, panting, and with a glance at each other, they fell into each other's embrace. The captain's arms wrapped around Wendy and became tangled into her hair as they tried to remain close to each other, gracious to be alive. Wendy had never felt so protected, so safe. She hooked her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Thank you, Captain. I owe you my life."

"It's nothing, really. You, um, looked like you needed some help. Please, call me Killian," The captain grinned.

Wendy sighed out in relief, then smiled. "Killian. Thank you."

Killian got goosebumps when she said his name. "It was mostly my fault, for scaring you like that."

Wendy shook her head, "No, that's alright, really."

"Wendy?" It was her father's voice. She quickly pulled away from her hero.

"I heard you screaming!" Mr. Darling said, glancing at the captain suspiciously.

"Dad, he saved me. I was on by the railing and I slipped. If Killian-I mean, the captain-hadn't been there...I'd probably be dead." Wendy looked sheepishly up at Killian.

"Oh, well, that was very kind of you, Captain. Thank you," Mr. Darling said as he patted Killian on the back awkwardly.

Killian tried to smile, "It was nothing."

"Nothing? You just saved my daughter's life! How can I repay you?" Mr. Darling searched his pockets for money.

Killian held up his hands. "No, really, that won't be necessary. I'm just glad she's alright."

Wendy smiled, hooking her hair behind her ears.

"Thank you for your courtesy, Captain," Mr. Darling said the following morning. He gave three large suitcases to a sailor taking luggage to shore. The sailor nearly crippled under the weight, but somehow struggled to the shore with the bags.

Mrs. Darling touched her husband's shoulder, "Mr. Jones, we're going to dinner at Les Frères Jacques tomorrow evening. We would be delighted if you came along. You've been especially kind, Captain, and we would love to make it up to you."

Peter's eyes widened almost as wide as the captain's at the invitation. Peter wrapped his hand in Wendy's like he always did when he was nervous, and she noticed his palm was sweating slightly. She was a little confused by his reaction. Peter hadn't shown any dislike toward the captain or anxiousness around him before.

The captain's eyes flicked to Wendy, who caught his eye for less than a second, but it felt like days before he looked away. "It's very kind of you to offer, ma'am. Respectively, I must decline; I have plans for tomorrow evening."

Mr. Darling gripped the captain's shoulder. "Well, we must move our reservation to Saturday, then! We must have you come along with us. We _are_ new here, and having someone from Dublin showing us around would be quite a help."

The captain looked a little frightened, "Well...if you insist..." he glanced at Wendy again, and a small smile crept on his lips, "I'd be delighted to come."

Peter squeezed Wendy's hand. Wendy winced since he squeezed pretty hard. Wendy tried to free herself without making a scene, but came to no avail.

"It's a date, then!" Mrs. Darling exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.  
Peter's dark blue eyes looked stormy as he pushed past a tourist lugging their baggage onto shore. "Peter?" Wendy called after him.  
She glared at her mother. The captain's face got pink again and he stared down at his shoes. Wendy's gaze softened when she saw him. It wasn't his fault. Peter had to just be in a bad mood. He'd never gotten jealous before. Of course, he'd never really had a reason to. And he didn't now. She didn't like the captain. Not in that way, anyway.  
Then the captain gave her that sweet grin, and all thoughts of not liking him were swept away. She smiled back at him without realizing it, then she quickly spun and headed across the bridge to find Peter. She twirled on the busy dock, peeking around corners and past bobbing heads. The captain tried not to notice how her long hair floated around her pretty face from the wind, but he was drawn to her. He felt as if he somehow...knew her.  
Wendy caught Peter leaning against a big cargo cart. He ran his fingers through his hair, glancing back at the ship and then sinking low on the side of the cart. His eyes glistened, and Wendy almost thought he was crying. Why would he be so upset? There had to be a better reason than just the captain coming to dinner with them. Wendy knew him, and he wasn't usually so emotional. He jumped when she touched his shoulder.  
"Wendy!" Peter nearly shouted, then recoiled slightly from her touch. Now that she got a good look at his eyes, she saw definite guilt in them-and tears.

Wendy drew her hand back, watching him carefully. "Peter? Are you alright?"

Peter paused, staring into her pretty brown eyes. He looked as if he was deciding whether or not to tell her something. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Wendy crouched to the ground. "You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

Peter suddenly pulled Wendy into a hug. Wendy wrapped her arms around him. She was a little concerned with his behavior-he was acting more like she was his mother than his fiancé. Peter let his tears fall down his face when she was looking the other way, and was careful to make sure they didn't fall on her shirt.

Wendy pulled away. "Peter, really, what's wrong?"

Peter still looked uncomfortable. "I...I love you."

Wendy laughed, "That's not a problem, right?"

Peter still looked serious. "No. No, that's not the problem."

"What is it, then?"

Peter stared at Wendy, and her smile quickly faded. Wendy sat down next to him and leaned against the crate. "I...I...the captain...he...he's..."

"For God's sake, Peter! Spit it out!"

"I don't like him."

Wendy stared at him for a second, then they both started laughing. "Honestly? That makes you this upset?"

Peter's speech was choppy from laughing in between, "Yes! It was supposed to be a date. I was going to take you on that fancy bridge and-"

"Who says you can't? It's my parents who want the captain to come, anyway. He can stay with them. Don't worry about it," Wendy reassured him.

Peter smiled, then kissed Wendy's forehead. Wendy smiled at him, even though part of her wondered why he never wanted to kiss her on the lips.

The captain was trying hard not to watch them. He really was. All he saw was Peter kiss Wendy's forehead, and his insides burned with jealousy. Why did he feel like this? He barely knew the girl. She was beautiful...he couldn't deny that. But still, he didn't _know_ her no matter the amount of deja vu that occurred when he saw her. He snapped out of it and helped one of the other passengers carry their trunk across the bridge from the ship to the shore.

He nearly stumbled when his thoughts trailed off to Wendy once again, but the man whose bags he was carrying caught him. "Thanks," The captain muttered, and then he slunk off to his quarters once he'd set the trunks safely on the other side of the bridge.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Later that night, Wendy was furiously trying to unpack her boxes and boxes of things in the house she and Peter had bought a few months ago. Her parents were currently shuffling things downstairs in the guest bedroom-she could hear her father groaning about how it wasn't really necessary to unpack since they were heading to their own apartment after the wedding. Wendy, honestly, was a little nervous to have them leave. She couldn't remember a time when her parents weren't there with her. And, although she didn't want Peter to know, she wasn't ready to grow up. She remembered when she was little and all she ever wanted to do was grow up and marry and have a pretty house to herself. But now that it was really happening...she just wanted to be free. She wanted to have adventures like all the heroines in her books. She wanted to run away from monsters and fight off the bad guys. Her childish daydreams of pirates and princesses still ran through her mind. Some nights, she wished some magical boy would show up at her window sill and take her away.

Wendy saw the tear fall from her cheek onto one of her books before she realized it was even there. It fell in slow motion, splashing onto the book-a hardcover copy of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie she'd had since she was a kid. She smiled sadly. It was her favorite story when she was little-she'd always demanded it at bedtime. It was strange how she was now married to a man named Peter, when she had the biggest crush on the character as a child. She opened the story slowly, flipping past the title page and to the first chapter. She sucked in a breath, and her hands shook as she did so.

"All children, except one strange little boy, grow up one day," She whispered. Her hands shook so bad, she dropped the book to the floor. The sound of it hitting the hard wooden floor rang in Wendy's ears. Her knees wobbled and her lip quivered. She braced herself against the wall with her arm and sunk to the floor. She hugged her knees and bit her lip hard. She held her breath, trying to prevent a sob, but when she exhaled it only made the sob louder. She wiped her eyes and tried to breathe, but it felt like she was choking. She loved Peter. She knew that. But she couldn't get past the fact she was getting older, and her childhood was really ending. She remembered running around in her bedroom-her real bedroom, pretending to fly in her pajamas.

Wendy woke up, groggy and disoriented. She was lying in bed with the covers tucked all around her. She glanced around the room and found Peter snoring in the big green armchair, her copy of Peter Pan on his lap. She smiled. Peter must have tucked her into bed after she fell asleep against the wall. His eyes were closed, and she could tell he was dreaming from the fact he kept twitching his left foot and furrowing his eyebrows.

Wendy pulled the white comforter out from around her and headed to the bathroom. Her face was pale and her eyes were puffy. Her wavy hair looked more like a birds nest than anything. She splashed her face with cold water to try to lessen the puffiness of her eyes, but it didn't do much. She sighed, leaning against the counter. The bathroom was empty. The walls were white, the counter was gray, and the linoleum tile was even more bland. Images of Wendy's yellow bathroom with random hairbrushes and too many toothpaste tubes at home flashed through her mind, and her homesickness almost pushed her to tears again, but she breathed deeply and composed herself.

Killian stretched his arms in the dirty hotel's mirror, yawning deeply. He wasn't wearing anything but his flannel green pajama pants, but he didn't feel cold. He washed his face with the small little package of face soap left on the counter for hotel guests and brushed his teeth with some off brand toothpaste also left for hotel guests. His taste buds recoiled against the bitter taste and spat the white stuff out when he felt his teeth were clean enough.

He headed back into the bedroom, plopping on the bed and reaching over for the remote. He reached into the chip bag he'd opened last night and stuffed a couple chips in his mouth, flipping through the channels but not really interested in watching television. He finally got bored and settled for the news. A pretty ginger woman was explaining the dangers of leaving your child in a car unsupervised like this unlucky fellow who got his daughter kidnapped. A picture of the little girl with cute little pigtails flickered onto the screen, then a photo of her dad popped up. Killian subconsciously judged him for not being the brightest, his hair was long and his big eyes looked pretty gullible. Killian thought he might have handed the kidnapper his daughter for a babysitting job. He leaned back against the headboard, his stomach rumbling for something more than some potato chips.

"C'mon, Wendy! We've got to go!" Mr. Darling called up to his daughter. Wendy stole one last glance in the bathroom mirror. Her eyelids were dusted in a natural champagne color and her top lash line was rimmed with a thin line of liquid black eyeliner. She didn't care much for lipstick or gloss, but she had swiped on some tinted lip balm in a natural, rosy pink. Her eyelashes were coated in mascara. She skipped blush, since she was sure that with Killian around, her cheeks would be plenty rosy enough. Her light blue chiffon dress floated down to her knees. It's fluttery sleeves and V neck drew attention to her pearl earrings. The dress cinched at the waist, showing off Wendy's small figure. She'd curled her hair into wavy curls and left it down. She wore simple white pumps that were already starting to hurt her feet.

She rushed downstairs. "Ready, Dad."

"Doesn't she look pretty, darling?" Mrs. Darling drawled.

"S-she does," Mr. Darling's voice choked up. "So grown up!"

"Are you alright, dad?"

Mr. Darling's eyes were filling with tears and he shook his head, holding onto Mrs. Darling like a security blanket. "Where's my little girl?" He shouted at the ceiling.

Suddenly, Peter swooped in and wrapped his arm about Wendy at the elbow, "I'll take her out to the car," He said quickly to Mrs. Darling, who nodded in agreement.

"Your dad's..uh..not doing too great.." Peter grinned as they went outside and out of earshot.

Wendy laughed, "I guess not!"

Peter reached down and opened the door for his fiance. Wendy smiled at him, but she was afraid it came out fake. Peter didn't notice. She climbed into the car and jumped a little when Peter shut the door. She stared at the ground, trying to understand the jumbled up emotions inside of her. Why wasn't she feeling that giddy, excited feeling she always got with Peter? Why did she keep thinking about the captain while Peter smiled at her?

She didn't even realize Peter had climbed into the seat beside her until he gently touched her shoulder. "Wendy?"

Wendy slowly turned to face him. "Peter, I'm not feeling well." It wasn't a lie. It just depended on how he interpreted it.

Peter's eyebrows raised, "Do you need some water? Or maybe soup? We don't have to go-we have a movie night with soup-"

Wendy laughed lightly. "No, it's not like that."

Peter looked Wendy up and down, confused. "What other sickness is there?"

Wendy swallowed. Did he have a deeper understanding of anything? Was she really going to have to spell it out for him for the rest of her life? She murmured, "Peter, do you ever feel like you're heading in the wrong direction? But you've already gotten so far, and you're almost there, how could you leave?"

Peter's eyes widened. "Wendy-don't..."  
"I don't know if I can-" Wendy stopped short when her parents climbed into the front seats. She wouldn't look Peter in the eye the whole way to the restaurant.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Killian adjusted his tie, looking over himself in the glass. His suit was unbuttoned, and he couldn't decide whether or not to button it. He smoothed his hair, unsuccessfully. He licked his palms and tried again, but quickly wiped his hands on his trousers when he heard a car come around the corner. He tried his best to look nonchalant and stuck his pants in his pockets, staring at the ground. The car zoomed by him. It wasn't the Darlings. He frantically continued trying to smooth his hair. He heard another car coming towards him, but he ignored it, assuming it was just another drive-by, like before. Then somebody tapped his shoulder.

"Mr. Jones?" It was Mr. Darling. Mrs. Darling stood next to him, her smooth honey hair in a sophisticated up do. Mr. Darling wore a dark brown suit with a red tie. Was it just him, or was the Peter kid, dressed in a black suit and light blue tie, glaring at him? When he made eye contact with the potential enemy, Peter stared at the ground as his cheeks flushed.

Then he saw Wendy. His brow smoothed; his heart stopped. Her dark blond hair was curled in loose waves, making her look like a darker haired Marilyn Monroe. Her light, fluttery blue dress floated around her. She saw him looking at her and smiled. Peter grabbed her hand forcefully and she almost jerked away from him, but she controlled herself and quickly glanced away from him. When Peter wasn't looking, she watched Killian with her clear brown eyes. He pretended not to notice, even though her beauty was captivating him.

"Hello, Mr. Darling. How are you?" He said politely, trying to ignore that the fact he'd just been caught checking himself out in a window. He stuck his slightly sweaty palms into his navy blue suit pockets. Mr. Darling wrapped an arm around him.

"I see you're still dressed in uniform!" He chuckled.

Killian tried to laugh, but it just sounded forced and anxious. Mr. Darling led him into the restaurant, with his heavy arm still around Killian's strong shoulders. Mrs. Darling trailed behind them, a little smile on her face.

Peter held out his arm for Wendy to take. It was a romantic gesture. It would reassure him that Wendy loved him. Wendy smiled shakily at Peter and put her arm in his. Peter smiled, confident that his fiancé still loved him.

Wendy started to hate the fact he was so easily convinced. Why was he always so cocky, anyway? The only time she saw him anything less than full of himself was the other day at the dock. And that was completely random and selfish. Why would he get so upset about something so silly? He acted like a child sometimes. She gasped a little bit. She always saw the best in Peter, she never thought about his bad side. She loved him. They were perfect for each other. Right? She was starting to doubt it. She stared the other direction, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Wendy was so busy thinking about all this; she didn't even glance at the menu when the waiter placed it in front of her. She was off in her own mind the whole time; she didn't even try to join in the dull, polite small talk her parents were making with Killian. She'd smile too long after everyone else was done, only laugh when her mother nudged her under the table. The waiter stood by her, tapping his foot impatiently.

"She'll have the same as me, thank you." Peter's icy voice sliced through Wendy's daydream.

Killian cleared his throat, "I'm sure the lady can order for herself."

Peter's head jerked his direction. "She's been staring into space this entire time! You think she was debating between a meat pie or chicken fingers?"

Killian drew back a little bit. "I didn't mean-"

"Oh, I know _exactly_ what you meant, pirat..I mean..." Peter pushed back his chair and stood. "I think I'm going to catch a cab and go home. I have an awful _headache_. Wendy, darling, won't you-"

"No."

"N-no?"

"No, Peter. I'm going to eat whatever the hell you ordered from me and have a nice time. I'm sorry you feel sick but clearly you can take care of yourself if you can order for the both of us," Wendy stated plainly. She sounded exasperated.

Peter's jaw clenched, glared at Killian, then stormed out of the restaurant.

The waiter cleared his throat. "Miss, do you still want the battered frog legs?"

Wendy scrunched up her face in disgust. "God, no. Sorry, I mean, no thank you. I'll just have the buffet, thank you."

The waiter smiled at her. "Pardon me for saying so, miss, but good for you."

For the first time all day, Wendy really laughed. "Not a problem. Thank you."

Killian smiled at her from behind his napkin.

Mr. and Mrs. Darling sat beside each other, still stunned from their daughter's outburst.

"I think Peter's having a rough night," Mr. Darling mumbled.

"What did he call me? Pirate?" Killian flicked a dark eyebrow.

"He must have been very flustered," Mrs. Darling muttered. "Dear, you mustn't take it personally-men can get annoying leading up to a wedding. They're under a lot of stress, you know-"

"Mother, I have never run into a time where Peter was the least bit stressed. I think he'll survive someone being honest with him for once. Sometimes he's just such a spoiled brat-"

"That's quite enough! I don't want to hear you talk about your fiancé like that again, Wendy," Mrs. Darling said curtly.

"But, mother, he's _my_ fiancé, I think I might know him a bit better-"

"_Enough!_" Mrs. Darling shouted. "Jim, darling, will you accompany me to the ladies room?"

Mr. Darling snapped to attention. "Of course, dear."

Killian scooted over in his seat so he was sitting across from Wendy. She fiddled with the edge of her napkin. She glanced up at Killian, tears in her big brown eyes. She was even more beautiful when she cried. Her upper lip trembled; she stared fixedly at some point above Killian's head. "I…just...I wish..."

Killian reached across the table and held her hand that was fiddling with her napkin. "Do you want to leave?"

Wendy nodded her head, forgetting about what her mother would say and what Peter wanted her to do. All her life, she'd tried to make people like her. She tried to be perfect. Something about being with Killian made her want to be herself, not who Peter or her parents wanted her to be. Running off with a man she barely knew? Something her mother would shun her for. Something her father would ground her for. Something Peter would get jealous over.

Why not?

She stood up, still gripping Killian's hand tightly. She practically dragged Killian out the restaurant. A couple well-dressed people watched them leave; she could feel their disapproving stares on her back. A woman wearing an engagement ring with her arm in one man's, leaves with another? Very improper. Very not-our-kind.

Perfect.

Wendy got about two blocks away from the restaurant, still holding Killian's hand tightly, before the tears she'd been holding back came rolling down her face. Killian stopped walking and wiped the tears off her cheeks. The world seemed to slow down, the sound of the cars on the streets zooming by stopped, the streetlights blurred. All Wendy saw was a man caring for her, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Because he cared, even though they'd just met. He didn't feel the need to impress her and be cool. He was himself; he did what he wanted.

"God, I'm so sorry, I'm such a mess."

"Don't apologize for things you didn't do." It wasn't the response Wendy was expecting. Usually people just told her it was okay and not to worry when she cried, which just made her feel worse for actually worrying when other people weren't. It wasn't even what she wanted him to say.

Which was exactly what made her start to fall for him.

She smiled, wiping under her eyes. "Sorry."

Killian watched her. "Apology accepted, darling."

Wendy laughed. "Where do we go?"

"Where do you want to go?" Killian watched her hook her hair behind her ears.

"Anywhere. Anywhere they won't find me."

Killian grinned. "Well, in that case..."

Killian grabbed Wendy's hand and took off down the street, dragging her behind him. She slipped off her shoes, carrying them and letting her bare feet slap on the cement. She giggled as she chased after the sailor.


End file.
